Michigan State University
Indiana
Spartan Softball Extends Winning Streak To Seven Games
4/7/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 7, 2002
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The Michigan State softball team swept past Indiana in a doubleheader at IU Softball Field Sunday afternoon (April 7) to extend its winning streak to seven games and to improve to 3-3 in Big Ten play. The Spartans continued their offensive surge by defeating the Hoosiers 8-0 in game one and 11-2 in game two, both in only five innings of play. MSU now stands at 18-21 for the season, while the Hoosiers fall to 9-19-1 (0-8 Big Ten).
In game one, the Spartans jumped out to an early lead, scoring five runs, all with two outs, in the top of the second off Indiana starting pitcher Heather Stillians (5-8). After Brittney Green (So., Simi Valley, Calif./Simi Valley) and Tiffany Wallace (So., Wildomar, Calif./Pacifica) started the inning off with back-to-back singles, Janette Hurtado's (Fr., Rowland Heights, Calif./Diamond Bar) sacrifice bunt advanced the runners into scoring position. Angel Merren (So., Wayland/Union) then brought home the first runners of the game as her single to center field plated both Green and Wallace. The next batter, pinch-hitter Sheridan Fowler (Fr., Thousand Oaks, Calif./Thousand Oaks), slipped a double down the right field line to score Merren. Natalie Furrow (So., San Diego, Calif./Mills E. Godwin) finished the inning's scoring as she hit a two-run double off the top of the center field fence.
MSU added a run in the third on a Lacy Hauxhurst (Jr., Westminster, Calif./Westminster) bloop single to right field that scored Wallace, who had doubles, extending the lead to 6-0.
In the fifth, Wallace hit the first home run of her career as she nailed a two-run shot over the center field fence, giving the Spartans an 8-0 lead. Wallace went 3-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored in the game.
Becky Gray (Sr., Burr Oak/Burr Oak) earned her eighth win of the season for the Spartans, striking out five and scattering only two hits in four innings of work. Jessica Beech (So., Okemos/Okemos) pitched the final inning for MSU.
Michigan State continued its offensive outburst in the second game as it quickly got out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Furrow knocked in her third and fourth runs of the day with a two-run single and Wallace continued her great day at the plate with an RBI single in the first frame.
After both teams scored runs in the second, the Spartans responded with six runs in the third to take a commanding 10-1 lead. Merren and Sandy Lewis (Jr., Empire/Glen Lake) each had RBI hits in the inning and Furrow hit the first homer of her career as she blasted a three-run dinger over the center field fence. Overall on the day, Furrow went 4-for-6 with seven RBI.
Hauxhurst hit an RBI single up the middle in the fourth to put the Spartans up 11-1.
Beech (7-5) tossed five innings with four strikeouts while giving up four hits in the win for the Spartans.
Michigan State returns to action Tuesday, April 9 to face Detroit in a doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. in Detroit.
Spartan Notebook
Becky Gray struck out five batters today to total 351 for her career, which stands second place all-time at Michigan State. Stacey Smith is the all-time leader with 408 strikeouts. Gray's 119 strikeouts this year are already good for seventh-best in an MSU season.
